96. GONVOLVULACEJE. [11. Ipomoea. 



mid-rib. Petiole 2-5". Cymes lax, 2-chotomous, axillary and terminal, minutely 

 pubescent, conspicuously marked with the scars of the very caducous obloncr-ovate 

 •12" long bracts. Peduncles 4-6". Pedicels 'b-S". Calyx "lb", sepals subequal 

 broadly ovate-oblons;- rounded, a small ofland each side of base of outer. Corolla 

 broadly hypocrateriform, scarcely campanulate, purple inside, tube puberulous. 

 St. unequal, ciliate below, anthers oblong-, pollen spinulose. Ovary 4-celled. Fruit 

 never seen and the g-enus therefore somewhat uncertain. 

 Propagated by cuttings. 



21. I. Yitifolia, Sweet. Syn. Merremia vitifolia, Hallier. 



An extensive but scarcely woody tAviner, hairy all over, with vine- 

 like leaves 2-6" diam., and bright primrose or sulphur-yellow very 

 pretty floAvers 2-2-5" diam. in 1-7-fld. ped uncled hairy cymes. Capsule 

 •5" diam , irregularly breaking up, semi-transparent, usually 4-seeded. 



In the damper localities, especially along streams. Purneah ! Santal Par. ! 

 Singbhum! Hazaribagh, Tr'oorf ! Pn\iinmn, Gamble I Rairakhol ! Angul, common! 

 Sambalpur! Probably therefore in all districts in suitable localities, Fl. Oct.- 

 March. Fr. March-May. Perennial, nearly evergreen. 



Leaves suborbicular or broadly ovate in outline cut one-third to one-half the way 

 down into ovate or triangular acute or acuminate lobes which are often strongly 

 toothed, palmately ner%'ed with 5-7 basal nerves, hairy. Petiole -5-4". Peduncles 

 1-4". Sepals -5" liirsute, hardened and -r-'Q" in fruit. Corolla 2" long, glabrous. 

 Seeds black or slate-coloured Avith a matt surface. 



22. I. palmata, Forsl^. Syn. I. pulchella. Roth. ; The Railway 



Creeper. 



An extensive climber Avith somcAvhat fleshy slender stems and 

 branches, the older tubercled Avith large lenticels. Leaves l-2'.5" long 

 and broad, deeply 3-7 (usually 5) -palmately lobed almost to the base 

 with elliptic or lanceolate or oblanceolate subentire usvially obtuse 

 and mucronate lobes. FloAvers very numerous, usually solitary (1-3) 

 on the peduncles, violet-purple Avith purple tube, 1*25-2" long and 

 about as Avide, funnel-shaped Avith spreading limb. Sepals -25", elL- 

 oblong with membranous margins. Capsules "4" ovoid, glabrous, 

 2-celled, 2-4-valved. Seeds pubescent Avith AvooUy margins. 



Exceedingly common on trellisses, etc.. in gardens and on raihA'ay platforms, 

 and nearly constantly in flower. Native near the coast in the Bombay Presidency. 



Easily grown from cuttings of the branches. 



23. I. sinuata, Orteg. Syn. I. dissecta, Pursh. 



Similar in habit to the last Avith Avhicli it is often associated in 

 gardens, etc., Avith pretty 5-palmatisect leaves about 3" diam., each 

 segment again pinnatifid or unequally deeply lobed, basal segments 

 each Avith a very large basal lobe. Petiole short, Avith fcAv long hairs. 

 Peduncles 1-fld. Fls. Avhite 1-5" diam. Avith a purple eye. Sepals 

 subequal, broadly lanceolate, membranous Avith green pulvinate base 

 and cuspidate tip, -T-'S" long. Corolla tubular beloAv then funnel- 

 shaped and Avith spreading limb. Ovary 2-celled. 



Common in gardens. Native of tropical America. Fl., Fr, chiefly r.s, 



24. I. quinata, Br. Khalkhatia, Or. 



Prostrate or tAvining with very slender glabrous or patently hairy 

 stems, palmately compound 5-foliolate leaves Avith sessile lanceolate, 

 narroAvly elliptic or rhomboid acuminate leaflets, 1-2" long in the 

 upper leaves, sometimes attaining 4" by 1"25" in the loAver leaves, 



601 



